The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-09-14
PICKWICKIAN TERMS.
A PROFESSOR OF BELLES-LETTRES
GIVES A HISTORY OF THEIR USE.

Slang Not So Worthy of Unqualified Con-
domination So Many People Suppose.
How Everyday IdIoms Give Scope to
an Inventive Fancy.
"The everyday idioms Of the English
language commonly called slang are not
80 worthy Of unqualified condemnation as
many prudish people suppose," observed O
professor of belles-lettres to n reporter the
other day.
"They havo direct, figurative signif-
cance and give scope to an inventive
fancy. For example, tho expression
You make me tired indicates to q
shade the feeling Of lassitude inflicted by
a bore. Again, What are you giving uss'
is merely figurative way of expressing
incredulity. Many sanguinary conflicts
have doubtless been averted by its use, as
the rugged, synonymous phrase, You are
lying, sirp hns been known to givo offense
to certain eccentric persons. Many slang
phrases are the embodiment Of polite
spirit. When you are out with the boys
and exhibit in meteoric flashes the slum-
bering hilarity in your nature, to be told
that you are intoxicated strikes a sensi-
tive chord in your breast; but to be ac-
COottu Wltu w llhb I'LL SltBdub lU}tu yOu
have got brings smile Of assent and sat
isfaction to your countenance every time.
Gentlemen never acknowledge to being
drunk. 1t is still or q jag' they have
on. The word drunk applies only to
tramps. They arc synonymous terms.
Every acute intellect will recognize this
subtle shade of meaning.
Gentlemen Of pugilistic proclivities are
very areful in their language. They up
preciate the modifying effects of slang
idioms and are particular to employ them
in speaking of their encounters. Who
ever heard q champion of the ring say
that he gave his antagonist black cye
or bloody nosef He prefers, in o spirit
of chivalry, more elegant terms, and win
say that he closed q pepper or tapped the
claret.' II he knocks his opponent down
he will say considerably that he sent him
to grass II he gains victory ho will
not injure the feelings Of the vanquishcd
party by Boosting that he throshed him,
but will pour balm upon his wounds by
stating politely that he done him up
DRAWN STILL FURTHER
''The parallel between slang phrases
and rugged English" continued the pro-
fessor, may be drawn still further. No
man is so devoid Of fine feeling as to
acknowledge that he has pawned an
article. 1t is less shocking to hint with q
wink that his uncle has 1t, or that it Is
in 'hock, or even that he has hung 1t up
These expressions exhibit the deed from q
humorous point Of view. In all walks Of life
we find this same endeavor at politeness.
A thief Is called q fly man or crook q
bribe taker is called o 'boodler' and
swindlers are called 'bunco steerers' and
'sawdust men, This Is as 1t should be,
The English language, devoid Of its flgura-
tive idioms, is simply brutal This nc
counts for the birth Of the word dude
1t is far more elegant than its synonym,
fool The ruthless small boy might hest
tate at the latter, but the former ho can
shout out at the top Of his lungs whcnover
some trif1e Of humanity may DO blown
across his path.
"a slang term that has peculiar signifl-
canoe is "a chippy chaser This is applied to
the prosecutors Of honorable working girls.
They stand upon tho street corners uptfl
some pretty girls pass by, and then follow
them block after block, talking in q loud
voice and otherwise annoying them. It ia
gratifying to know that they arc generally
left This last expression is applicable
to those who fail to attain tho objects Of
their desires. The 'chippy chaser If suc-
cessful In making the clandestine nc
quaintance he seeks, and in making IN
appointment for some future evening, Is,
as rule, stood up This means, in un-
vanished English, that he stands for hour
after hour at the appointed place awaiting
the arrival of the expected female, proba-
bly, in violent rain or snow storm, for a
'chippy chaser never gives up hope, while
the honest girl is probably sleeping in her
bed.
Here again the politcness of slang
idloms is demonstrated. The synonym Of
'chippy chaser is the pitiable word idiot
which is rather IN unpleasant sounding
term to be applied to q young man. The
inventor of this idiom merits the hearty
thanks Of the brotherhood.
"It is obvious" remarked the professor
in conclusion, 'from the foregoing cxposi-
tion that our slang originates from the
innate delicacy of feeling which is o
characteristic Of Americans from the
small boy up. The English language,
when plainly spoken, is harsh and jarring
and contains many unpleasant words.
Men of fine feeling naturally express
themselves in q figurative, or, to bo less
scholarly, o Pickwickian sense n-New
York Mail and Express.